Zinndawgg rules! The world drools - except for you.

Nevermind Eternity has a new official website

2010-04-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

I designed heavy metal band Nevermind Eternity's website. I will make improvements over time, so check back often. I haven't posted on my blog for a long time, mostly due to being involved in work and the Phoenix, Arizona music scene. Whatever. I am also trying out for a few different rock bands as the new singer/lyricist. 2010 is a good year so far. I met Muhammed Ali, Reba McEntire, and Amar'e Stoudemire. Anyway, I am just pushing my buddies' band right now.
Please check out the official website of Nevermind Eternity !

100 Movies Every Guy Must See To Be A Man

2009-06-16T22:56:00.000-07:00

Zinndawgg Recommends,
Loosely In This Order:
# 1 Cool Hand Luke
# 2 The Boondock Saints
# 3 Star Wars : ALL EPISODES
# 4 Point Break
# 5 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
# 6 The Great Escape
# 7 Papillon
# 8 Predator
# 9 Rambo
#10 The Terminator
#11 Pulp Fiction
#12 Fight Club
#13 Scarface
#14 The Godfather
#15 Full Metal Jacket
#16 Clerks
#17 SE7IN
#18 Ferris Bueller's Day Off
#19 Wayne's World
#20 Indiana Jones: ALL EPISODES
#21 Crank
#22 Shaun of the Dead
#23 Reservoir Dogs
#24 Young Guns I & II
#25 The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
#26 Wedding Crashers
#27 Sin City
#28 The Usual Suspects
#29 Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
#30 Old School
#40 Animal House
#41 Blow
#42 Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man
#43 Logan's Run
#44 Dirty Harry
#45 Die Hard: ALL EPISODES
#46 The Big Lebowski
#47 The Untouchables
#48 Office Space
#49 The Sting (Original Version)
#50 Easy Rider
#51 Blade
#52 The Dirty Dozen
#53 City Slickers
#54 Natural Born Killers
#55 Total Recall
#56 Fletch
#57 Heat
#58 Trainspotting
#59 Enter the Dragon
#60 The Right Stuff
#61 The Lord of the Rings TRILOGY (Read the books, first!)
#62 The Shawshank Redemption
#63 A Clockwork Orange
#64 Back to the Future: ALL EPISODES
#65 Lucky Number Slevin
#66 The Wrestler
#67 Jaws: ALL EPISODES
#68 James Bond 007: All Sean Connery
#69 Donnie Darko
#70 Platoon
#71 Monty Python: The Search for the Holy Grail
#72 The Princess Bride
#73 12 Monkeys
#74 Big Fish
#75 Planet of the Apes
#76 It's a Wonderful Life
#77 To Kill a Mockingbird
#78 2001: A Space Odyssey
#79 12 Angry Men
#80 Apocalypse Now
#81 Blazing Saddles
#82 Bridge on the River Kwai
#83 E.T. - The Extraterrestrial
#84 The Neverending Story
#85 The Matrix
#86 Rocky: ALL EPISODES
#87 This Is Spinal Tap
#88 Breakfast Club
#89 The Shining
#90 Superman: Every Christopher Reeve
#91 The Silence of the Lambs
#92 Goodfellas
#93 Fargo
#94 Dazed and Confused
#95 The Truman Show
#96 Wild Things
#97 Big
#98 Glory
#99 Orgasmo
#100 Braveheart
The list is surely longer, but these are critical.

My Apple iPhone 8 GB battery still works!

2009-03-03T15:51:00.000-08:00

My original iPhone 8 GB from the first release still is going strong and the battery is probably still good for 48 hours of standby, and maybe about 2 hours of call time. It basically gets me through a full day that needs a few time-killing bits of entertainment, such as SportsTap, TapDefense, or Aurora Feint. Did you know that unlocked iPhone 8 GB models are selling on eBay for around $1000?! An AT&T standard still sells for around $300 - $400! Many people prefer the $20 EDGE plan over the $30 3G plan that the iPhone 3G requires.

Diet fit for Oprah Winfrey, but made just for men!

2009-03-03T15:48:00.000-08:00

I don't even know what that title means, but whatever. I am trying to perfect a new diet and exercise program, but it is tough to stick with. The basic food staples for a single day, are:

• Tilapia filets
• Broccoli Crowns (fresh or steamed)
• Navel Oranges
• Ruby Red Grapefruit
• Bananas
• Mushrooms (not canned)
• Carrots (fresh or steamed
• Rice (steamed, as a bed for the fish)
• Mashed potatoes (with garlic and cheddar cheese and a bit of butter)
• Cheddar Cheese, Swiss Cheese, and Parmesan Cheese (all in moderation, of course)
• 36 ounces of Beer (Pabst, Dead Guy, Coors, Sierra Nevada)
• At least 48 ounces of purified (or better) water
• Cilantro and Red Onions as garnishments for different meals
• Ginger, Garlic, Black Pepper, Olive Oil, Tapatio, all as flavor enhancers
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AOL Radio - Stream Dream!

2009-03-03T15:46:00.002-08:00

Did you know that AOL radio has an awesome station called simply: "Metallica?" It plays all Metallica, all the time! I am currently in a slow period of my work schedule, and I have found that AOL radio, where I choose my genres and sub-genres, fits my boredom schedule quite well! I am actually listening to the "Classic Metal" station. So far, I have heard Sepultura, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, Judas Priest, Pantera, and others; all together, a low brain energy form of custom radio listening. You don't have to sign in or anything. It is free and only requires a basic DSL or lowest Cable Internet connection. There is even an iPhone AOL Radio Application that you can download from iTunes App Store for FREE! Stream radio via 3G or Wi-Fi! Give it a try!

THE BIG MOVE

2009-03-03T15:46:00.001-08:00

I moved to Arizona. I am currently going broke trying to settle in. I just discovered that certain utility companies suck and that California Consumer Protection laws really are there to keep us from being ripped off. Arizona has Consumer Rip-off laws, apparently REQUIRING utility companies to gouge and scam their customers. Screw SRP (Salt River Project), the electric company!

New in 2009 - Recession/Depression Notes

2009-03-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Not to deny my lack of recent postings, but I really just want to move on and not recap anything too deeply. So, I was working a lot throughout the summer of 2008 and through the fall. The economy has taken a big toll on my ease-of-income, but not my potential, as long as I am willing to commute larger distances or even move around to where the work is. So, I have added to my employer list and to my locations I can work. A bit more effort, but not too much. So, on with the posts!
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Older blogs are also well-worth reading

2008-06-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

I feel that my older posts not displayed on my home page at zinndawgg.blogspot.com are still very relevant and down-right awesome to read. Please click on any link that you can find that will take you to the previous posts I have written on blogspot.com. SUMMER IS HERE (and it is HOT)!

"Like a really good dive-bar, I keep coming back" - A Diatribe.

2008-06-20T23:55:00.000-07:00

This is supposed to be a review. It is more a speech, than anything. Read it anyway. Then decide whether you want to read it. Back when Weezer came out with the BLUE album, I was intrigued. I found out about them through a very unknown record store in a back alley of Tokyo. I liked how in the video for Buddy Holly, the drummer blew a silent "I Love You" to some betty in the room. This caught my attention, as one of my first experiences with MTV was in a hotel room in Saipan. Music Television? AWESOME! I also liked Zombie, by the Cranberries (not much else by them). But, as I really came to understand the revolutionary genre being created by Weezer, I became addicted. Then, as Weezer caught on back in the States, I realized that to be really 'Alternative' I would have to give away the BLUE album and pretend I didn't like anything popular. IT TOOK ME A FULL 5 years to come to my senses and embrace all forms of music which I liked. Screw up-turned, pretentious snobs that made me turn my back on great music. I don't even have a step-father, but this bottle of Stevens STILL awakens ancient feelings. I am over listening to stuff because it is popular. I am over listening to people tell me not to listen to certain music. I love my music. I write music how I want. I listen to whatever I want. You aren't my mom and you can't tell me what to do! Every song on the "BLUE Album" is great and will grow on you or even take your stereo over for about 2 months. LISTEN TO WEEZER! This is me saying this for myself, to myself! zinndawgg.blogspot.com

Recent and near-future happenings

2008-05-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

I really want to buy a new Digital Camera. However, there will be a new 3G Apple iPhone coming out in June 2008, according to MacRumors.com's sources. With this new iteration of the popular iPhone, perhaps an upgraded camera assembly will be included, such as a 3 or 4 MP. The original iPhone camera is a 2.0 MegaPixel and the iPhone does not currently have a built in video recorder program. Should I spend $100 - $150 on a Nikon CoolPix L18 8 MP 3x Optical Zoom? Should I put that $100 - $150 toward the next version of the Apple iPhone? By the way - the Nikon CoolPix L18 can also take video clips of varying length, based on available memory. The Apple iPhone 3G (Also rumored to be named "iPhone BLACK") will have a higher price and more functionality. I will end up getting the Apple iPhone 3G at some point anyway, but should I go ahead and buy the Digital Camera now and not wait for the release of the "iPhone BLACK?" Please choose an option in my poll on the right side of this page called "iPhone + Nikon - Nikon = ???"

I ain't Aussie, but I think its funny!

2008-05-11T02:26:00.000-07:00

I am no Australian, but I do feel that everyone should go there, or at least conversate with at least one Australian. Go here, mate! How To Speak Australian, etc...! Funny

World's Most Daring Architecture and Landscaping

2008-05-03T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with what man can achieve utilizing our current state of technology. We have donut-shaped buildings that are soon to be built in Dubai, UAE. We have a 1,776 feet tall Freedom Tower being built in New York City. We have a new "tallest structure of any kind" in North America going up in Chicago, called "The Spire." There is a skyscraper in Shanghai, known as the "Shanghai World Financial Center," that has a rectangular hole cut out of its top. The Burj Dubai in Dubai, UAE recently took over "World's Tallest Freestanding Structure" title claims from the CN Tower in Canada. There are even taller buildings under consideration over the next several years.
In Japan, a whole international airport was built off-shore by building up the ground from the ocean floor. Holland has built levies and dikes to reclaim many square miles of otherwise tidal zones and ocean marshes. The Suez, Panama, and many other canals have been hewn from bedrock, desert, and jungle. Mankind has learned to reshape the very face of Earth.
Nowhere can this extreme engineering be seen more clearly than in one of the Emirates of the UAE. Dubai, which was led by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum and recently succeeded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is in the process of completely redefining the traditionally accepted meaning of land reclamation. With the vision of the previous Sheikh, and the conviction of his successor, the grand master plan of developing the Dubai coastline is on track.
Due to dwindling oil reserves, predicted to disappear by 2014, in the mostly desert state of Dubai, drastic steps have been taken to transform a small Emirate into the world's premier tourist destination. Islands in the shape of Earth's land masses have been created and dubbed "The World." There are three different palm-shaped island/peninsula protrusions also. There will be a crescent shaped "Waterfront" and associated islands and connecting bridges.
The reason that I am writing about these things is that most people that I am acquainted with have no idea what is going on around them beyond their own little world. I want to be a resource for friends and family so they may learn about the truly marvelous things humanity has achieved in the last decade. Please visit the development company Nakheel at www.Nakheel.com for a complete video tour of all its reclamation and development projects. See above for a few pictures of tall buildings and extraordinary land reclamation.

My favorite websites - of late

2008-05-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

I like:

CNET's Download.com, which offers downloads of software, multimedia, and other downloadable stuff. What really excites me is that as a band or a fan, music can be uploaded or downloaded for free. I am listening to a mix of about 8 different artist's music whose MP3s I just downloaded for free, with their full consent. As an artist myself, I found this website to be extremely helpful in adding another dimension to my band's distribution channels (MySpace, PureVolume, etc.). Anyway, the music is broken down into niche-genres, thus making it quite fun to discover new music in almost any genre you are into. Try Rock/Pop, then sub-genre Hard Rock/Metal, then sub- sub-genre Sludge Metal, and you will understand the kind of organization that is going with this website.

I don't like:

The Phoenix Suns' Suns.com, which really is just due to me having died just a little bit the other day when they were ONCE AGAIN eliminated from contention in the 2008 NBA Playoffs. Not good. Nuff said.

Kobe, Japan vs. Kobe Bryant

2008-05-01T00:53:00.000-07:00

I am sick and tired of supposedly educated news anchors mispronouncing the name of the city in Japan that was struck by an earthquake in 1995. Kobe is pronounced Koh-beh. Even Dictionary.com's American Heritage Dictionary entry is wrong in that it actually shows a long 'e' sound! At least it gives a secondary version, which is semi-correct. "(kō'bē', -bā') A city of southern Honshu, Japan, on Osaka Bay south-southwest of Kyoto. A port and manufacturing center, it was almost entirely rebuilt after World War II. The city was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1995. Population: 1,530,000."

Below, you will find the "Contact Us" message that I sent to Dictionary.com about their pronunciation key.
"The entry for the Dictionary.com Unabridged definition for the city of Kobe, Japan has an incorrect pronunciation guide. It has never been pronounced like the L.A. Laker Bryant's first name. The fact is, it is only pronounced Kaw-bee if you are a person from the South with a strong drawl. It is indeed pronounced Koh-beh, with a short 'eh' sound. I know that my Dictionary documentation format may not be correct, but I do know that I lived in Japan for 12 years growing up and that I took an overnight bus from Tokyo to Kobe in April of 1995 to assist with earthquake relief efforts. It was never pronounced like you say it is in your dictionary."

IRS rules (but this will only make the USA more in debt)

2008-05-01T00:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a table from IRS.gov website showing the 2008 Economic Stimulus Package payment dates. Please remember: I did not make this up, so please call the IRS if you don't get your check within the timeline listed on this table.

$20,000 Needed to complete a rock album...

2008-04-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Dudes of Haggard are back in the studio working on their last album of the year. In order to complete the project in a timely manner, we are looking for investors or sponsors to help our project get finished. Right now, we are saddled with a regular work schedule, which definitely cuts into the time we have available to record and edit our songs. I estimate that with $20,000 (US, not Canadian or Australian or any other dollar), Evil and Myself (Zinny) can focus our next 2 months on completing the songwriting and basic track recordings. Then, we can take the next month to really mix and master our album (13 songs, hopefully). Then I can implement my super-secret distribution and marketing campaign, which should allow total world domination within the following month (no later than the end of September 2008). If you can fund our project of face-melting rock, please go to the Z-Linx section at the bottom of this blog and leave a message at our myspace page.

Rock n Roll Concert T-Shirts - How to be REALLY cool!

2008-04-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

So you wanna be rock 'n' roll, huh? Besides actually going out there on stage and performing your songs, there are a few things you gotta do to develop street cred! Showing the world that above all, you have discerning taste in music, is the first step in getting the respect you are looking for. How do you take this first step?

Well, dressing the part is not a choice - it is a requirement. What you wear can say a whole lot to the general public, as well as to those who may also be into rock and roll. That is not to say that it is the only thing, but it is a very significant step in the right direction.

First, you must decide what kind of message, or "look," you are trying to convey. Are you a person that loves the more popular stuff of the day, or do you consider yourself an afficionado? Do you go with a classic rock style t-shirt and duds, or do you choose the witty phrase on a modern rock band's shirt? Do you go with the concert/tour shirt, or the more discerning, hard-to-find and collectible Local Crew t-shirts? Be prepared to have a story about the Crew-Only shirt. In other words, either work a show and proudly display the Crew shirt as a trophy, or at least know a bit about where you got it from and why it is special.

It is a fact that if you are into rock and roll, you must have at least a few favorite black shirts. The main reason for this choice of a color (or lack thereof) is due to the way it contrasts in the bright spotlights and the way it blends in back stage. It also just looks really cool to be dressed in all black.

A simple graphic or text might be the minimalist effect you want. A large band logo might be just the ticket. The choice depends on what your personality allows for. Are you outspoken and bold, or are you a bit more timid? Sometimes, however, a bold person will wear a simple phrase on his or her shirt to make a statement about the music they make or like to listen to. Sometimes a single word will be sufficient to tell the world how you align yourself in the way of music.

As a musician myself, I like to wear shirts of bands that have influenced my own musical taste. I am also a professional stagehand, so I have several Local Crew t-shirts that really let me stand out! Sometimes, being rock and roll doesn't have anything to do with the music - at least directly. Wearing a shirt that has a logo or name of your favorite liquor or beer on it sometimes does the trick. Sometimes, a simple, witty phrase will make people know you mean business while you're rocking up there on stage!

There are very few things within the rock-fashion world you can do to get in trouble when choosing what to wear, but here are a few things to avoid. Do not wear lots of pastels or shiny, glittery clothes (unless you are in an 80's hair-metal band). Do not wear anything that you don't want your mother to see, unless you hate her or just don't care. On the other hand, wear anything that may tick off your dad! Most rock songs are about love, love lost, and how horrible your dad was. NEVER, EVER wear your own band's shirt to your own show, however. That is BAD! And, do not wear the shirt of the band that you are going to see. This may not sound too important, but a lot of people out there have no clue that this is ridiculed by so many musicians; it's just not cool.

Basically, there is something about rock and roll that is rebellious and has an unsaid rule that "you just don't care about anything." So, my recommendation is to wear what you want, when you want. In fact, following this guide would actually be too conformist, so I also strongly suggest not to listen to anything I have told you. But there I go again - making suggestions. I guess I am saying or not saying to think for yourself and wear a black t-shirt and black jeans ALL THE TIME!

ROCK AND ROLL!

My first blog...

2008-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

I would like to use this soapblogs as a platform to rant and complain about things that annoy me. I may use a list as a technique to tell you all which things are annoying me right now. Or I might just go off on a long raving madness of a rant in a series of written blasts in the form of photos with captions. I do what I wanna do and you can't tell me NO. So, since I really expect no one to actually read my blogs, I will just stop.